The Shinji Crisis
by Sincerely Ash
Summary: With his parents, brother, and sister-in-law gone forever, Paul is left to take care of Honeysuckle, the amnesiac daughter of Reggie, haunted by his past and what seems to be no future. But when Dawn gets injured, could Paul's life change forever? AU-ish
1. Introduction

**NOTE: **Yes, the almost one year old round robin from Forever in Lavender and Christy C. has finally hit the net! My bud has a life (unlike me) and has stopped writing her parts to this, but don't worry, I have the ending planned out, so the story shall continue! Christy C. is now my official editor and reviewer, so after you read this, go check out some of her fanfics!

**SPECIAL THANKS:** Christy C.- You read all my stories and novels and poetry and still haven't gotten bored. For the friendship in real life and over the internet you've given me, you deserve a medal. I'll see if I can find one-maybe chocolate flavored. _THIS STORY IS HALF HERS, SO THANKS!_

**DISCLAIMER:** Do I look like I can draw 400 something different Pokemon, let alone create them? No, I don't.

Introduction

_Witness._

Have you ever given something up?

_Witness._

Have you ever given something you cared about up, for what you believed to be their own good?

_The only witness of the incident that was currently conscious._

Did you ever have to stand there and smile a wounded smile as everything looked bright for them and bleak for you?

_The only person who felt responsible but did absolutely nothing._

Paul sat on the bench outside the office, head in his hands. He was dressed in a grey button-up shirt with the top few buttons undone, along with black pants. Otherwise, he was very dull and drab compared to the others walking around, preppy young lawyer women and handsome intelligent men in suits.

"It wasn't your fault," a little voice said him stood a girl with pink eyes and purple hair that was straight and medium length, with a cute little hat shaped like the face of a panda. Another proof of his suffering: Reggie and Maylene's orphaned daughter, Honeysuckle. "Daddy do you love Miss Dawn?"

Paul bit his lip in fear of her being heard. "Shh,**shhh**."

Honeysuckle smiled. "Is that a yes?" she giggled madly.

Paul's face went red, but he only shushed her more.

* * *

"Miss Primrose, a pleasure."

"Naturally," the rosy-haired girl nodded.

Mrs. Valentino smiled. "I assume you will need an escort to the household you will be staying at?"

"You will find," Primrose pulled out a pokeball that an Arcanine popped out of, "that I am more than capable of handling myself, naturally."

"Of course. My best wishes to you, and your newfound family. If you need anything, just call."

Primrose smirked before answering with her signature saying. "Naturally."


	2. The Dreaded Rose of Prim

**DISCLAIMER:** Don't own. Pokemon.

**FOREVER THANKFUL TO:** Christy C.

The Dreaded Rose of Prim

Ash and Johanna both looked up warily as the hospital room door opened and in walked in, someone they recognized, Paul.

Ash stood up to greet his once great rival, and Paul nodded tiredly at him. Ash looked like a mess. His hair was ruffled, and pointing in all different directions more so than usual, and only one side of his shirt was tucked into his pants. His eyes looked sunken as though he hadn't slept in a few days.

"Paul, it's nice of you to come." Dawn's mother, Johanna spoke from Dawn's bedside. A very forsaken sound, her voice was. Paul nodded slightly to her, still staying silent.

He turned his gaze to Dawn, who looked virtually unharmed. Her hair was spread around her head like a halo of sorts, and she looked paler than usual, but that was about it. She looked like she was peacefully dreaming.

Ash shook his hand, before returning to his seat. Paul shifted slightly in place, not sure what to do. He had dropped Honeysuckle off with one of his colleagues, who told him she would watch her for the night if he wanted. Now, why was it he decided to come here again?

Johanna must have sensed his discomfort with her motherly intuition, and offered him the seat next to her. He nodded gratefully to her, still determined not to say a single word to either of them.

He leaned back in his seat, just staring at Ash and Dawn. Everyone expected them to become a couple, and when they did, everyone was ecstatic. He remembered that day, when the man who had become his best friend stole the woman he loved...

Everyone was happy for him, but when Paul acted just as nasty as he usually did, no one was surprised, so it was easy to hide his hurt.

May attempted to convince Drew to fly to Sinnoh with her, just to celebrate. They were happy now, two children, nice house, quite a few ribbon cups between the two of them.

Misty and Gary were out on a research trip, so they didn't do anything except laugh, happy those two finally got together. This couple, they weren't that happy now. After a nasty divorce, and split custody of their son, Paul rarely got to see either of them anymore, but now Gary was a drunk and Misty gave up on life.

Basically, everyone had a life he wished he had. No matter what, he hated his life now. He basically had an adopted daughter, which he didn't mind, but no wife, which was something he wanted, just not with anyone but her.

His best friend's girlfriend.

* * *

Primrose opened the door to the house with the key that the Police had given her, welcoming herself in. She'd probably freak a few people out, naturally, who wouldn't? But, it was her house now. So, she picked up the phone, opened up the phone book, and decided to order a pizza.

"Arcanine, let's chill tonight before we have to break the bad news," Primrose smirked and flopped down on the couch. She flipped the TV on to a Pokemon battle.

Arcanine sat by Primrose's feet, warming the cold room. "And what would that be, my master?"

Primrose laughed. "That I'm back and better than ever!"

"Oh," the Pokemon rolled her eyes at her hysterical master. "By the way, aren't you underage?"

"What? Naturally, you think I've been drinking?"

"Well...you are a bit…what's the word? Oh yes, tipsy."

Primrose howled with laughter.

* * *

Paul's Pokegear suddenly rang. Everyone frowned at the noise, afraid it would disturb Dawn. Paul sighed and went out into the hall, practically yelling into the phone, "What?"

"Mr. Shinji, it's Colette, from the Veilstone Police Department."

Paul's eyes widened. "I'm sorry. Is there any news for me?"

"Yes, and it's about Ms. Primrose Shinji."

His eyes widened more, face pale. "Pr...primrose...?"

"Mr. Shinji, your niece has been found."

And everything went black.


	3. Awakenings and Returns

**DISCLAIMER:** If I need to put this here, it's obvious I own nothing.

**SPECIAL THANKS:** Christy C.

Awakenings and Returns

"Ash, what happened?"

"I don't know! I just found him on the floor, unconscious!"

The room was a blur, swirling like the ocean as the queasy feeling in Paul's stomach only grew worse. He groaned in pain. "Prim...rose..."

Johanna took his hand, the boy she sympathized with since he had no parents and since his brother was dead. "Who's that, Paul? Is something wrong?"

Paul tried to sit up, a wave of pain surging through his head as he did. Honeysuckle! She couldn't find out about this! Not yet! She was too frail, and Paul couldn't lose anyone in his life anymore! Finding out about this would send her into a coma! He struggled to get up, but Johanna made him lay back down on the chairs they had lined up together to create a makeshift bed.

"Good thing you were already in a hospital, right Paul?" Ash tried to lighten the mood.

Paul frowned. Sometimes he just wanted to strangle that guy so much. "I...I have to get home...I have to stop her from...doing something stupid..."

"Calm down Paul," Johanna frowned. "Now explain to us what you mean."

"Reggie's daughter..." Paul winced in pain, "Has come home..."

Ash raised an eyebrow at him, nodding slowly. "Yes Paul, she's been home for awhile. Honeysuckle is fine." Ash said slowly, as if explaining this to a kindergartner. Paul scowled at him, pushing Johanna's hand away when she tried to keep him down.

"Not that one." he snapped at him, pushing away their helping hands as he stood. He tilted slightly, putting one hand to his head, and one to the wall as the entire world spun. He let out a light groan and Johanna shook her head.

"Paul, you should sit down." she scolded, ignoring everything he said. Ash, on the other hand, looked as though he was going to be the next to faint.

"Primrose?" he gurgled, and Johanna immediately turned her panicked attention to him. Ash tripped on himself, nearly falling over.

"Okay! Boys! This isn't cool! You can't both do this to me!" she complained.

A nurse rushed up to them.

"Miss Hikari?" she questioned.

"What?" Johanna nearly whined. The nurse tilted her head questionably, before shaking it.

"Your daughter's awake!"

* * *

Colette rubbed her temples. Nothing in this case added up. No one had a vendetta against the bubbly Sinnoh coordinator.

Maybe the man truly was a drunk driver like many people thought. But no...something about this man rubbed Colette the wrong way. She groaned aloud, dropping her head onto the desk.

One of the other officers stepped into the room, looking at her with pitying eyes. "Colette, you need to sleep. You've been non-stop on this case for the last three days. Give it a break, let it cool down for a little while. Even if you're right, the news has spread across the entire region that Sinnoh's top coordinator was in a car accident." the man offered her a slight smile, "If this is a real case, then you'll figure this out." he nodded to her and Colette nodded, sighing.


	4. A Day in the Life of the Oaks

**NOTE: **Wow, we've tripled, no, quadrupled to 155 hits in the second day! Thanks so much!

**DISCLAIMER:** When I clap my hands….you will acknowledge that I own nothing…. (claps)

**THANK YOU FORVER:** Christy C.

A Day in the Life of the Oaks

"Dad?" Sage peered through the glass, holding the phone to his ear. The fifteen-year-old frowned. "Dad, I forgive you. I don't believe what Mom says about you."

Gary glared for behind the glass at the thought of Misty. "It doesn't matter what that witch thinks about me."

"Dad!" Sage cried. "Please don't say those things! I know you still love Mom! I just know it!"

He sighed. His son was always deceiving himself that way.

Sage shifted in his chair stiffly, almost knocking down his crutches. "Mom says I have to go away for a while."

Gary's throat burned, and he nodded. "I know."

"When you go home, I can come and see you, right?" Sage smiled in a comforting way.

Tears stung even more painfully than his throat. "It doesn't always work that way, Sage."

"But Dad!" Sage protested. This time his crutches did fall down.

The sound of them hitting the cold tile floor and seeing Sage try and reach for them broke Gary's heart in two. He did this. It was all because of that stupid accident. One drink and somehow his car had rammed its way into Dawn's. And now that devil woman would never let him see his son again. Speaking of said devil, Misty noticed Sage's misfortune and walked up to him, kneeling to pick up the crutches and handing them to Sage with a warm smile-a smile that disappeared as soon as she looked at Gary.

"Thank you," Sage said to Misty, taking her attention away from Gary.

He gritted his teeth. "Sage, put your mother on the phone."

Sage was confused but nodded. "Okay. I love you, Dad."

"I love you, too."

Sage handed the phone to Misty, who suggested he go somewhere else for the moment, her glare baring through Gary's soul.

"What the hell do you want, Gary? Honestly, after what you did to my son-" Misty rambled.

Gary cut her off. "He's my son too! Dammit, I'm not going to let you take him away from me!"

Misty smirked. "Shoulda thought about that, delinquent. I told you, one more arrest, one more DUI, and you'd never see him again, and you clearly didn't listen."

"Please don't do this," he begged. "Please, he's all I have! Misty, I'll give you anything! Money, an apology, what exactly is it that you want?"

Misty frowned. "I want it back. I want my life back. It's all your fault, Gary, it always has been! You said the plan would work, but it didn't! And then you tried to make me believe that you loved me! But it was always a lie, it was always just another way to smite Ash, you selfish, lying jerk! And suddenly you want mercy from me? Go to hell." She stood up, put the phone down and left with Sage.

And Gary knew that would be the last time he ever saw Sage unless he did something about this.


	5. Kisses That Complicate

**NOTE:** Sorry about not updating, guys! I had a concert and a flea market that both got me really run down, not to mention I'll be applying for a pet on Neopets soon. ^^" But here it is, chapter 5!

**DISCLAIMER:** I'm dirt poor, and not Japanese. Get the picture?

**THANK YOU ETERNALLY:** Christy C.

Kisses that Complicate

"Dawn, baby, look at me baby." Johanna cooed, cradling her daughter's face in her hands. Dawn blinked, glancing up at her Mom, and turning her head to see Ash.

"Mama...Ash..." she breathed. Paul held back, still thinking of Primrose and not wanting to intrude anyway. It wasn't like he was great friends with her or anything. That was Kenny's job.

"Dawn..." Ash breathed back, leaning down and kissing her. Dawn's eyes widened and she pulled away, scrambling away and closer to her Mom.

"Ash!" she coughed, "What are you doing?" she exclaimed. Johanna and Ash locked eyes, confusion in both of their eyes. Ash looked extremely hurt along with being confused.

"Kissing...you?" he said, but it sounded like a question, "I'm really happy that you're better and I wanted to...kiss you?" he informed her slowly, and Dawn gasped.

"Ash..." she mumbled, shaking her head, "I'm sorry. You know I love Paul."

"What?" all three of them exclaimed and Dawn jumped, just realizing Paul was in the room.

"Paul!" she exclaimed, motioning for him to come closer, and he took one step forward, staring at her nervously. She rolled her eyes, motioning for him to come closer again.

Ash and Paul met eyes as he went next to Dawn, both having confused puzzlement as a feeling in them.

Paul was forced to break the stare down with Ash, when both his cheeks were grabbed and he was pulled down to Dawn's level.

He would like to imagine the squeaking noise he made sounded manly, but when Dawn was kissing him, he really couldn't focus on anything else. He refrained from closing his eyes, which would show Johanna and Ash he was enjoying this, but he gently pushed her away, backing up.

He glanced to where Ash once was and caught a fleeting sight of him fleeing the premises, but he shook his head, looking back to Dawn, who was frowning.

"I'm sorry for Ash, but he had to know that I'm not interested." she shook her head and Johanna didn't say anything, looking to bewildered to understand anything. "Paul, will you go make sure he's okay? I mean, I know you don't like him and he's your rival and everything, but please just go and check up on him for me? I would get Brock to, but I don't know where he is." Paul slowly nodded.

Brock? Rival? He hadn't been rivals with Ash since he was 15! And Brock had been in Johto being a happy little pokemon breeder for the last six years!

What was going on? Could she possibly have the same illness as-? No! That was impossible! But since when did she love Paul?


	6. Never Gonna Happen?

**NOTE: **Woot! This part was a combination of a few round robin parts both written by me and Christy C.! Can you tell? (Hopefully not…)

**DISCLAIMER:** Me no rich and famous. Me no own.

**THANKS:** Christy C.

Never Gonna Happen?

Ash, in blind fury, rushed down the halls of the hospital, not knowing where he was going. Suddenly, he ran into Misty.

"Ash!" Misty gaped. "What's wrong?"

He slumped against the wall, pulling the brim of his hat over his eyes. "I don't understand life anymore."

Misty knew she couldn't stay long, Sage would be waiting for her at home, but her heart ached so painfully that she had to do something. "What happened?"

"Dawn kissed Paul," Ash choked.

_Well of course,_ Misty thought to herself. _He's a moron if he doesn't see that Paul loves Dawn. _But then again, what if she was the only one who had figured it out? And she had thought Dawn had gotten over Paul! Could she have possibly fallen back in love with Paul in the past 15 years? Impossible…right? "I'm...I'm sorry. Maybe there's an explanation for this."

"Ash!" Paul skidded to a halt. He must have run incredibly fast, seeing how he was panting heavily. "What's going on?"

He glared. "I'd like to ask the same thing."

"Why'd Dawn kiss me?" Paul demanded.

Misty laughed a bit. "Well, I think that answers a bit obvious, Sir Lover Boy." She received vicious glares from the both of them.

Paul's Pokegear rang, piercing through the short silence. He furiously opened and yelled into the phone, "Now what?"

The person on the other line laughed a bit. "Aren't you in a bad mood, Paul? Of course, naturally, you've always been that way."

Paul went pale. "I don't have time for this. Get out of the house, you can't be there when Honeysuckle gets home!"

"Relax, Paulie. I gathered my facts before I jumped into adventure, naturally. I'll hold my tongue. By the way, it strikes me odd that you're afraid I'd hurt my own sister. You don't think I'm that clumsy with my words do you?" The smirk was evident in Primrose's speech. "By the way, I believe Miss Dawn may gain circumstancial amnesia based on her injury. Has she happened to wake up yet?"

"Yes," Paul replied. He had to hand it to Primrose, she always had been a smart girl.

"Very well, then. Naturally, I'll be coming over."

"Of course. I'd expect nothing less from you."

"Alrighty, then I'll see you in a bit, Paulie!" The gear clicked loudly in his ear.

Paul pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his poke gear. Great, another problem on the way. He turned his attention back to Ash, who was still glaring at him.

Now, how do you get your best friend, who is mad at you because his girlfriend suddenly loves you, to calm down?

Well, the answer was simple. You lie through your teeth. Paul began his act, shaking his head in fake confusion.

"Listen Ash. It's not like Dawn is in her right state of mind. Maybe she loved me at one point, but now she loves you, and I'm sure somewhere deep down she still knows that." he attempted to soothe his friend, impressed at his own efforts. Ash's glare lightened a bit, but he still frowned.

"Yeah," his glare intensified as if a thought struck him, "But how do I know you won't take advantage of her to make sure she stays in love with you, even after she remembers me?" he hissed. Paul rolled his eyes, as if the idea was absurd, although he would do nothing rather than that.

"Ash, you're one of my best friends." One of his only friends. "I have no interest in Dawn." Lie. Lie. Lie. "Have I ever shown any interest in Dawn?" he asked, knowing he had, but hoping Ash was too dense to pick up on it.

"Yes." he heard Misty snicker. He froze a bit. Had she been there the whole time? Paul rolled his eyes, keeping his cool, and Ash's frown and glare turned unsure.

"I guess not..." he mumbled, lucky for Paul's sake he wasn't asking Misty for an example or anything.

"Exactly. Believe me, having Dawn in love with me is like a worst nightmare." Not nightmare really, maybe more like a dream sent from Heaven, handpicked by angels. "I seriously have no clue how you deal with her...optimism and stuff." he shook his head in fake disgust. "I seriously hope this wears off soon," _Like, maybe in fifty years or so?_ "And then you two can get back together and continue being happy." Or she could just dump him.

Ash nodded slowly, before chuckling. "You're right man. Thanks." He punched his shoulder lightly, "I mean, come on, you and Dawn being in love? Psh." Ash rolled his eyes, running off to Dawn's room. Paul groaned slightly, tempted to slam his head into the wall beside him.

"Yeah, come on man, you and Dawn in love?" Misty mocked, "That could NEVER happen." She flashed a pearly white, ever so bitchy smile and rolled her eyes at Paul before going after Ash. Paul sighed.

What did Misty have to be so damn quiet that he didn't realize she was there all the time?


	7. The Mind of Primrose

**NOTE:** Sorry for not updating in a few days! Converting the round robin into chapters is annoying sometimes, plus I lost my voice. If you want, check out my two new fics that I'm working on too! This chapter is short, but my personal favourite, because it uses my amazing first person inner monologue skills! (That's right, this part was written entirely by me)

**THANKS:** Christy C. (even though you didn't write this chapter..)

**DISCLAIMER:** I'm a poor little American girl. I DID NOT CREATE POKEMON.

The Mind of Primrose

Sometimes I really hate helping people.

Maybe it's because somewhere along the line for some ridiculous reason I got the idea that I was a bad person. Which I'm not, because I wouldn't be helping people if I was. To be honest, I don't even know where I got the idea that I'm a bad person. I just did one day.

I walked in the pouring rain, Arcanine beside me, the fifteen blocks to the Hospital. The sound of the raindrops hitting my umbrella sounded faintly similar to many, many, MANY annoying little Rice Krispies crackling right in my ear. Arcanine frowned, concerned for my health. Damn this summer storm. No one would have a jacket right now.

Luckily the warmth that radiated off of the fire Pokemon kept me from getting pneumonia-at least, at the moment.

What comes to your mind when you hear Primrose Shinji?

Is it the researcher that topped Gary Oak within two months of her starting her journeys? Is it the coordinator who wowed the judges and won three Grand Festivals in a row before quickly retiring? Is it the trainer who beat Roark and his father in a two-against-one battle using just a Pichu?

Or is it the girl who hadn't seen her family for five years and didn't even come back to visit her sister when her parents died and her sister was traumatized with circumstantial amnesia? What about the girl who played head-games with everyone and anyone just to hide the fact she felt pain day in and day out?

What comes to **your** mind?

"My master, please," Arcanine begged. "Do not feel sorrowful anymore. You can still redeem yourself in the world's eyes."

I smirked. "Naturally I don't care what the world thinks of me." A lie. A facade. _I only want to be redeemed in my own eyes...And I'll never be good enough in that case..._

_From now on...I don't want any of that anymore. I don't want to be Primrose the revered. I just want to be Primrose._


	8. A Change in Perspective

**NOTE: **Yay! More drama! I swear this thing is better than a soap opera…

**THANKS:** Christy C. (Who actually wrote a good bit of this chapter)

**DISCLAIMER:** I no own.

A Change in Perspective

Paul followed Misty after a few seconds, hiding his annoyance. Ash was outside the room, pacing slightly. Misty rolled her eyes, pushing passed him to go see Dawn.

"Hey girl! What's up?" Misty exclaimed as she walked into the room. Paul and Ash unashamedly eavesdropped.

"Nothing much, but it's really weird Ash thought we were dating, even though Paul and I are in love." Dawn bit her lip and Misty nodded sympathetically.

"Really?" she asked. Dawn sighed.

"I'm sorry Misty. I'm sure Ash is really interested in you. I know how much you like him." Dawn nodded, Ash's eyes widened, and Paul bit back snickers.

Take that Misty.

"W-What?" Misty exploded, "I don't like Ash!" she denied, whether the red on her face was from fury or embarrassment, it really wasn't sure. Dawn blinked.

"Okay, okay. Hey, will you go find my Mom? She left a little while ago to get a drink and hasn't returned yet." Dawn requested and explained. Misty huffed, but nodded and stomped out of the room, pausing to glare at Paul and Ash.

"Shut up." she hissed at the smirking Paul, who held his hands up in surrender.

"I didn't say anything." he pointed out. Misty huffed again, crossing her arms and stomping off, most likely to find Johanna. Ash took a deep breath, reality setting back in on them.

"I should probably go in there now." Paul nodded in agreement, and Ash sighed starting towards the person who was supposed to be his girlfriend.

Someone grabbed his shoulder, pulling him back. "Allow me, naturally."

The salmon-haired teen welcomed herself in. "Hello, Dawn."

Dawn's eyes were wide. "W-who are you? Where's Paul?"

"Do you know who I am?" Primrose asked.

Dawn shook her head in response.

"Do you know what year it is?"

"2..2010...?" Dawn murmured.

Primrose sighed, knowing full-well it was 2025. "Very well then. I'm Primrose Shinji." She held her hand out, Dawn not taking it.

"W-what do you mean, 'Shinji?'" Dawn asked.

_Whoops. Guess I let that one slip._ Primrose rolled her eyes, practically facepalming. "I'm a relative of Paul's."

Dawn smiled. "Oh, okay then!"

"Look," Primrose sighed. "From now on for a while, things might not make sense, but I promise you I'll be here for you okay? You just have to stay calm until we figure this out."

"Okay."

* * *

"Mom?"

"Sage?"

"Can you come home? I don't like being here alone."

The hushed conversation caught Ash's ear.

"I'm sorry, honey, I'll come home right away."

"Did you tell him?"

"Well...not necessarily."

"Mom, I been watching you for years around Mr. Ketchum and you need to tell him that you love him!"

Ash silently gasped.

"I will Sage...just...now's not a good time."

"It's never a good time, not after you and Dad divorced, not after you moved to Sinnoh, not on Mr. Ketchum's birthday...I mean, how much longer can you wait Mom? I want you to be happy."

"I know. I'll see you soon. Bye, Sage." She closed her Pokegear.

Ash crossed his arms. "So what is it that you wanted to tell me?"

Misty frowned, before abruptly getting furious. "I wanted to tell you to not eavesdrop on conversations!" she growled at him, turning on her heel and stalking away again, this time most likely to find Johanna.

But Ash doesn't like letting people complete their plans successfully obviously, because he grabbed her wrist and turned her back around. "Sage said that you love me. Misty, is that true?"

Her eyes narrowed. "And what if it is? Matterfact, since when do you give a damn about me and how I feel?"

Ash's eyes softened. "So you don't love Gary?"

"No!" Misty shrieked. "He conned me out of my virginity and half my life!"

Ash pushed Misty against the wall, his expression unreadable. "This changes things."


	9. More Explanations

**NOTE:** Yeah, I know I haven't been posting TSC as much. I have no excuse, I'm not going to make one, because I personally hate excuses. Either way, here you go, and I hope from the bottom of my heart you enjoy. ^^

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Pokémon, and I've run out of fancy disclaimers.

**THANK YOU IMMENSLY: **Christy C.

More Explanations

"Daddy!" a tiny girl in a yellow sundress ran in. She had her normal panda hat, and she was grinning from ear to ear. The young amnesiac jumped in the air and glomped Paul.

Dawn blinked. "What does she mean?"

Primrose sighed, shaking her head. She leaned down, whispering into Dawn's ear, "Her parents, one of them being Reggie, are dead. She has a type of circumstantial amnesia where she adapts her memory fragments to things she sees or is told. She at the time believes Paul is her father and is in a very delicate state."

"How did they die?" Dawn asked.

Primrose gulped, feeling as if she were about to break down sobbing. "Plane crash. Honeysuckle was the only one who survived out of every single passenger and crew member. The violent deaths traumatized her."

Dawn's gaze softened. "That's so sad..."

"Miss Dawn, Miss Dawn!" Honeysuckle turned, and her eyes widened at the sight of Primrose. She teetered a bit, Paul catching her. "Daddy I feel sick..."

Paul glared at Primrose, even though he knew she hadn't said anything. He placed her in a chair. "I'm going to go get you some crackers and water to make you feel better."

* * *

She nodded, half-lidded, and he ran out of the room.

Primrose knew there was only one way to keep Honeysuckle from having a real problem. She walked over to her, knelt down and smiled. "Hello, my name is Primrose. I'm a...a friend of Paul's."

Honeysuckle nodded with blank eyes, her brain slowly adjusting to this new fact.

"I'm an orphan," Primrose continued. "And Paul is going to be taking care of me for a while. I hope we can be good friends."

Honeysuckle's blank look stayed a little longer and then she snapped out of it, grinning. "Okay! Suddenly, I feel much better!"

"That's good," Primrose smiled.

* * *

Paul walked out, fully intent on finding crackers, seeing as it would be the only thing that could possibly distract him from his thoughts.

Possibility: Kill Primrose.

No, he probably shouldn't do that. But he really wanted to, especially if she told Honeysuckle anything.

Possibility: Get Dawn to fall in love with him for real.

Oh how he wished to do that, but he couldn't do that to Ash. He knew that boy was beyond in love with...

Misty. Either that, or he was a cheating jackass.

No, actually, either way he was a cheating jackass. Possibly one of those guys who uses people too.

"Ash?" he snarled, staring at Ash, who at the moment had Misty pressed against a wall, and his lips attached to hers. Ash broke away, dropping his hands from Misty's shoulders in the process.

Misty looked a mixture of shock, happiness, sadness, and guilt. A very odd combination, as she wiped her lips with the back of her hand.

"Paul! Listen-" Paul cut him off.

"Ass hole!" he snapped, stepping forward.

"Paul, I really love Misty. It took me a while to figure out, but I do." Ash begged.

"And hey, now you can have Dawn for yourself." Misty added, putting a hand on Ash's shoulder. Paul hissed slightly.

He wasn't about to admit to himself how he thought about that for a moment.

"It isn't right! Ash, she doesn't love me!" Physical pain followed those words as he said them aloud, "She loves you! It's only a matter of time before she realizes that she doesn't love me, but you! Then, what are you going to do?" he asked, pointing out a possibility.

"Well, she might not." Ash stated slowly. Paul rolled his eyes.

"She will." he stated surely. Ash shook his head.

"That's what you said about Honeysuckle, but that never happened, and it never will." Ash snorted.

Misty couldn't help but scream as Ash fell to the floor, and Paul simply glared at his limp body, shaking his hand out.

Punching Ash hurt his hand, but it felt oh so good on the inside.

* * *

Primrose glanced up when Paul walked back into the room, carrying water and crackers, which he handed to Honeysuckle.

"Hey, are you okay? We heard this scream..." Dawn trailed off as Paul nodded.

"Yeah, don't know what that was. Maybe some idiot got his lights knocked out and his girlfriend screamed or something." Paul shrugged as Dawn looked at him in confusion and Primrose tilted her head.

"Interesting theory..." she mumbled.


	10. Storytimes

**Author's Note:** It's been forever since I updated this, but I feel like I should. Compared to my other stories this one seems so horridly written. *sighs* When I finally get to the part where we stopped, I'll be able to redeem myself. As always, a thanks to **Christy C. **And an apology to everyone else, I've been generally mellow and melancholy lately, just not able to get myself going for more than a few minutes, so the world is lucky I'm even on the radar at all.

Storytimes

Primrose glanced up when Paul walked back into the room, carrying water and crackers, which he handed to Honeysuckle.

"Hey, are you okay? We heard this scream..." Dawn trailed off as Paul nodded.

"Yeah, don't know what that was. Maybe some idiot got his lights knocked out and his girlfriend screamed or something." Paul shrugged as Dawn looked at him in confusion and Primrose tilted her head.

"Interesting theory..." she mumbled.

Paul sighed, "It's time to go."

"Baby..." Dawn whined. "Don't go..."

Paul gritted his teeth. "No! I'm not your 'baby!' You love Ash! And I know that, because I've been putting up with you and that idiot making goo-goo eyes each other this whole time! I've kept my mouth shut ever since my brother died about how I cry in goddamn pity each night about how I have nothing in this world besides Honeysuckle! I've been in love with you Dawn, from the first day I met you, and it doesn't help that I'm trying to be faithful to my friend and he's out in the hall sucking face with Misty like its some new dance craze! So don't make me feel like an asshole for wanting nothing more than to see you smile, or for punching that cheating bastard like he deserves, because I'm tired of this!" He turned quickly. "C'mon sweetie, it's time to go."

Honeysuckle nodded, letting Paul pick her up. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her eyes teary. "Daddy, are you okay? Does your heart hurt? You sound sad..."

"It's okay," Paul sighed, "Daddy's okay. Daddy's going to be just fine, just like always."

"But you're crying..." Honeysuckle replied.

Paul combed his fingers through her hair and tried to stop, failing. "I know...I know..."

Primrose stood up. "Paul...I...I think I'm going to stay in a hotel..."

He looked to her, seeing the pain in her eyes, the same pain he felt. Strange...he had never noticed it there before. Perhaps they were more the same than I thought. "No I insist you stay with me."

Primrose nodded. "Naturally," she replied, her voice shaking, "I'm going to have to accept."

* * *

Primrose opened the door, leading the way for Paul to carry the now sleeping Honeysuckle into her room. Primrose let Arcanine out and sat on the couch. She tossed her shoes off and slowly pulled her knees up to her chest.

Paul came back into the living room. He stood halfway in the hallway, watching her. "I'm still thoroughly confused by you."

Primrose laughed. "I could say the same."

"First of all," Paul frowned. "Where have you been these past years?"

"Everywhere," Primrose smiled, although it seemed more masochistic than anything. "Just not here, naturally. I didn't want to deal with my parent's death, I didn't want to deal with the fact that I hadn't been there for them. I knew Honeysuckle wouldn't remember me and if she did it would only lead to complications, so I never bothered to come home. It hurt so much and I had to find an outlet, so I quit researching and became a coordinator. Naturally the pain came back though...and I didn't mean to be cruel to people and mess with their heads...I...I just wanted it to go away...I just wanted to feel alive again. I became a trainer with my special Arcanine that I had found from researching. I rushed around as quickly as I could, becoming Sinnoh champ soon. It was never enough." She laughed again. "What about you, Lover Boy? What's your story?"

Paul smirked. "What do you think? My mother's dead at the hands of my father-who I only wish was dead, my brother and sister-in-law died in a violent plane crash, and the only person who heard their last words will have a mental breakdown if I even take her near a plane. The girl I love is screwed beyond repair because of that twit Ash, and I'm looking at someone who confuses me with her every action and personality trait."

Primrose laughed now, laughed long and hard till tears were in her eyes, and till the tears flowed down her cheeks. Paul soon realized that the tears were only partially from the laughter, and partially from sadness. She sighed, wiping her eyes. "Well you're not alone anymore Paul, because we have something in common. And similarities bring people together. They always have."


End file.
